UK Borders Bill

As I have said before in our deliberations, I have no alternative but to withdraw the amendment in these proceedings. We could debate this at great length. I thank the noble Lords, Lord Avebury and Lord Hylton, for their interventions. To the noble Lord, Lord Hylton, I simply would say that his interesting, adjacent point about the cost to local authorities is even more of a burden for some local authorities. They are often the very local authorities which have the largest amount of social issues and problems with which to deal already. This becomes the sort of straw that could almost break the camel’s back. My noble friend has referred to how long appeals take on average and the rest. I refer to a very important point made on an earlier amendment. When you are talking about the human situation, in real stress and, on occasion, in times of considerable mental anguish, to believe that the argument about averages will be convincing is pie-in-the-sky. It is a theoretical argument that does not relate to ordinary people in the immediate situation. The organisations with which I have been dealing are particularly concerned by the cases with which they have had to deal. They see real challenges and problems in what the Government have now laid down. I said that I wanted to press the Government on this. I would feel more encouraged if my noble friend were to recognise that there is an issue here. Justice has to be seen to be done, and justice demands equality before the law. In both those contexts, there are difficulties around what is happening. I would feel more encouraged if my noble friend were to say, ““Okay, I can see there is an issue and that it is an issue that organisations doing a lot of exacting work in the front line really care about. I will ensure that there can be meetings with my department to go into the implications of what has been raised in greater depth and how they might be resolved””. Can my noble friend give me an assurance on that point before I withdraw the amendment?